Marry Me
by GeneHarlow
Summary: A short one shot alternate version of the scene in 4x01 where Norma proposes to Alex. This time, she offers something to try and sweeten the deal a little ;) This is a sexier, angstier version of that scene. "You could have this every day, ya know." "Mm?" "Marry me."


"Hey."

Alex said nothing, just stared at her inquiringly, nodding at her to speak.

"Thanks for meeting me so early." She smiled brightly at him, a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Well, you didn't give me much of a choice Norma. You were gonna come over either way..." He muttered gruffly.

It was a good point and she shrugged sweetly at him, before taking a deep breath, casting her gaze to the ground.

"What's going on, Norma? What's wrong?" He softened his rough tone a little, ducking his head to try to meet her eyes. She just shook her head, eventually raising her head to meet his gaze, her eyes wide and slightly shiny.

"I need your help." She breathed out brokenly and a beat passed between them where his mouth fell open at her words, before she stepped forwards, brazenly crossing the threshold to his house and lauching herself at him. She threw her arms around his neck, crushing her lips against his desperately.

"Norma- What-" He tried to blurt out against her mouth as she threw herself against him, sending him staggering backwards, wrapping his arms around her naturally.

"Sshhh." She whispered, pressing him back further, his coffee cup falling from his hand, hitting the ground with a clatter that made them both jump, their lips breaking apart for a second. He took the opportunity to wrap his hands around her upper arms, pushing her back as she strained to kiss him again.

"Norma, what's going on?"

"I just... I need a favour." She said casually, as if she hadn't just thrown herself at him. She shrugged, casting her eyes to the ground and when she looked back up at him, her eyes were different - darker and wider and a wry smile was playing on her lips.

"Please..." She whispered and Alex was helpless, lost in those endlessly blue eyes as she advanced towards him, both of them stepping into the house as she shut the door behind her. Her eyes darted to his lips, her eyes widening as he opened his mouth to speak again, and she lurched forwards once more, pressing her lips against his and manoeuvring him backwards towards the couch.

She shoved him to sit down unceremoniously, reaching to undo her coat and shrugging it off, along with her scarf. He sat lamely, his hands by his sides, watching as she shed her winter garments, smiling a wicked smile that seemed fake and out of place on her face. It was gone before he could question it though, and then she was crawling onto his lap, straddling him, settling her weight across his thighs and kissing him again. He wanted to let go, to enjoy this, and if it were any other woman, turning up at his door at the crack of dawn and throwing herself at him like this, he would. But this wasn't any woman, kissing his fervently, running her hands along his shoulders and up and down his chest. It was Norma Bates, and he knew her well enough to know this was a calculated move.

He wrenched his lips away from hers, rearing his head back to frown at her in confusion.

"What is this?" He blurted out, panting lightly, and she let out a surprised little chuckle.

"God, do you always ask so many questions?" She trilled brightly, her smile fading a little when he didn't return it. He'd always been a man of few words but the way he was looking at her now made her panic, like he could see right through her and she cleared her throat, quickly tugging her shirt from the waistband of her skirt and pulling it over her head before he could react.

She smiled triumphantly as his mouth fell open, his gaze skimming down over her torso, his eyes lingering on her breasts encased in pale blue lace.

"Now..." She started gently, resettling her weight a little, grinding herself down on his growing erection. "Stop. Talking." She smiled sweetly at him, the first genuine smile he'd seen so far today, unable to hide how pleased she was at his speechless reaction to her body.

His hands, which has been laying dormant at his sides, finally moved, sliding up her thighs, smoothing over the voluminous fabric of her skirt to finally settle themselves on the warm, soft skin of her bare waist. She hummed a quiet noise of appreciation as his hands slid over her body, pulling her a little closer to him and she leaned forwards, taking his face in her hands, brushing her lips hesitantly against his.

This time, he didn't hover for long, closing the gap between them and kissing her hard, sliding his tongue against her bottom lip. She answered him, kissing him back passionately, moaning a soft noise of approval when his hands pressed themselves against her breasts, a quiet moan that sent shockwaves to his groin, sending his hips bucking upwards a little.

Her hands worked their way down his chest, pushing between them and beginning to fumble to get his zipper down.

His head dropped back with a groan as her fingers brushed against him through the denim, her shaking hands working the button undone.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted this." He breathed out sincerely, trying to get her to meet his eyes, wanting to impress upon her that this wasn't just a hook up for him. He needed her to understand the depth of his want for her. She avoided his gaze though, ducking her head to kiss his neck, nuzzling her nose against the side of his throat.

"You could have this every day, you know." She whispered tantalisingly, pressing a line of soft kisses up his jaw that made his breath hitch in his throat.

"Mm?" He murmured and he felt her nodding.

"Mm hmm." There was a pause and she finally managed to get his zipper down, her small hand sliding into his jeans, closing around him through his boxers.

"Marry me." She whispered, and for a second, he wasn't sure he'd heard her right, freezing, and jerking his head back to gaze at her in confusion.

"What?"

"Marry me." She repeated seriously, her gaze steely, any desire for him replaced with a frantic look of uncertainty.

"What? Marry- What, why?" He spluttered, reaching out to grab her wrist when she didn't release him from her grip. She eased her hand out of his jeans, sitting back on his thighs a little.

"I..." She started, with a sigh. "I need to get Norman into- Well, I need to get Norman some help."

She cast her eyes to his chest, focusing on the small sprinkling of hair peeking out of the neck of his t shirt where she'd pulled it down to kiss his skin. He remained silent, not understanding any of what she was saying. He waited for her to elaborate.

"I need insurance." She explained, shrugging. "And... you need _this_." She finished quietly, gesturing between them.

For a second, neither of them said anything, Alex breathing hard as the full weight of what she was suggesting sunk in, Norma nervously chewing her lip as she waited. She finally looked up and their eyes met.

"Come on, it's not a big deal. We'd both get what we want out of the arrang-" She was cut off as he roughly grasped at her waist, easily lifting her off him and flinging her to the side of him. She landed heavily on the couch with a gasp and he immediately felt a pang of guilt as he watched her struggle to right herself in his peripheral.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath before he turned to look at her. She was cringing away from him, her bottom lip trembling, her arms crossed over her chest, shielding herself from his gaze.

"I'm not going to marry you, Norma." He choked out, still furious that she thought so little of him.

She flinched at his angry tone, and he sighed, hating her even more now that he was made to feel like the bad guy.

He leaned forwards, scooping her shirt up from the floor and handing it to her. She snatched it out of his hands, turning her body away from him and starting to turn the garment the right way in.

"I'm sorry if I made you think I was the kind of man who would... Who would take advantage of you like this?" He asked, hoping she would say something, anything to convince him that that wasn't how she saw him, but she just snorted angrily, pulling her shirt over her head.

"It's fine." She huffed out, jumping to her feet suddenly, still turned away from him. "I'm sorry I came here. It was stupid." She said in a monotone, as she tucked her shirt in.

"Norma... I... " He scrubbed his hand through his hair helplessly, frantically searching for the right thing to say. "If I can help you in some other way..? I'm not going to marry you but maybe I can help you-"

" **You can't help me**!" She interrupted, screaming at him, whirling round, her eyes shining furiously. She panted for a second, her nostrils flaring as she fought to stop the unshed tears in her eyes falling.

"You can't help me. Or you wont." She shook her head as he opened his mouth to speak, all the fight leaving her body in one go.

"It's ok. I... I'll be fine. I'll figure something out." She stooped, bending to retrieve her coat and scarf from the floor, and he sprang forwards, his fingers closing gently around her wrist, making her look up at him.

"Are you this desperate?" He asked gently. "Are you this afraid, that you would put yourself in this situation?"

"I'm not afraid." She said defiantly, after a moment too long of hesitation that told Alex the real ugly truth.

She let her fingers intertwine with his for the briefest of moments, both of them dropping their gaze to where their hands were linked. And then she pulled back, pulling her coat on and shaking her hair out from the collar.

She paused by his door, her hand on the handle, before she turned back, shooting him a shy smile that didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Besides, there are worse situations I could imagine."

And then she was gone, and Alex was left alone in his living room, realising that he was going to marry Norma Bates and that, ironically, marrying her might mean never truly having her.


End file.
